Label structure



July 31, 1956 w. GREENBERGER LABEL STRUCTURE Filed March 31, 1955 v INVENTOR. [Vii/lam Kira/Wager HTTOIFNEYS LABEL STRUCTURE William Greenberger, New York, N. Y., assignor to The Hopp Press Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March 31, 1953, Serial N 0. 345,902

1 Claim. (Cl. 40-20) This invention relates to a structurally and functionally improved label unit and especially a device which may be readily associated with and detached from a garment.

It is an object of the invention to furnish a simple label structure readily capable of attachment to and removal from a garment. So attached, it will present a neat appearance and will be free from danger of accidental detachment from the unit which is mounting it. Also, by means of the present teachings, it will be unnecessary to resort to the expense of stitching or pinning the label to the garment.

A further object is that of furnishing a unit of this type which may be readily and cheaply manufactured by quantity production methods, which will occupy a minimum of storage space and be instantly available for use.

With these and further objects in mind, reference is had to the attached sheet of drawings illustrating practical embodiments of the invention and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one form of label;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a portion of a garment and showing the label in process of application thereto;

Fig. 3 illustrates the final position assumed by the label;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged view of the label and showing its adaptability to a garment embodying somewhat unusual structure;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a label embracing an alternative design from that shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 shows the label of Fig. 5 mounted on a garment; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary face view of a further form of label.

While labels embodying the present teachings may be utilized in numerous different associations, they are, according to the present invention, primarily intended to be associated with garments and especially the sleeves of coats and jackets. To that end, they will engage and be retained by buttons or other permanent elements ordinarily ornamenting the sleeve adjacent its outer end. With this in mind, the numeral 10 indicates the sleeve portions of garments to which elements such as buttons 11 are secured. Ordinarily, this securing will be effected by thread 12 stitched through the upper layer or openings therein and into the material of the garment. The foregoing is in accordance with accepted practice. It will, however, be understood that securing means other than thread might be employed.

The label body 13, as in Figs. 1 to 4, may be formed of any suitable material but will ordinarily include heavy paper, light cardboard, plastic sheeting or any other suitable material. The face of the label may receive indicia featuring, for example, a trademark, information with respect to the garment or any other desired data. At a point preferably adjacent its edge, the label body will be provided with an opening 14 having an area adequate to receive the strands of thread 12 or other securing means retaining one of the elements or buttons 11 in position. Extending adjacent this opening is a slit 15 defining a tongue portion. That portion will be of sufficient area so that when it is displaced from the plane of the label body 13, an. opening will be present adequate to allow of the passage of one of the buttons 11.

A second opening 16 is formed in the label. This opening is spaced from opening 14 a distance equal to the spacing ordinarily existing between the centers of adjacent buttons or elements 11. Again, opening 16 has an area adequate to accommodate the securing means or thread 12 of the adjacent button. A slot 17 is formed in the card or label 13 and has one of its ends communicating with opening 16. Its opposite end is preferably flared as at 18 to provide an entrance portion extending through to the edge of the label.

In using or applying the label to a garment, body 13 is moved parallel to the surface of'the latter so that the threads or other securing media of one button pass through slot 17 into the opening 16. The label is now swung around opening 16 as an axis. When opening 14 is disposed adjacent a second button or element 11, then the tongue portion defined by slit 15 is displaced out of the plane of the label and the second button is moved laterally through the slit thus provided. This action continues as in Fig. 2 until the entire button passes through the slit as in Fig. 3. Thereupon, the tongue portion, either due to its natural resiliency or by being deliberately flexed back into the plane of the label body, is brought to a position underlying the adjacent button 11. Under these circumstances, the label is firmly secured in position and retained by the two adjacent buttons.

So retained, the indicia displayed upon its face is properly presented to the customer or other person viewing the same. The label will not become accidentally detached from the garment. At the same time, it may be readily removed by reversing the procedure aforedescribed. Also, it may be removed by simply tearing it free of the securing means or threads for the buttons. The label will be maintained in proper position even when the spacing between the buttons is not normal as in Fig. 4. Under these circumstances, the thread securing the button which extends adjacent opening 16 will simply lie within the slot 17 instead of the area of that opening. Therefore, again the label will be properly maintained in position.

While the label may be formed of a curved or flat sheet, it is, in many instances, preferred according to the present teachings, that it include a pair of angularly extending sections as in Figs. 5 and 6. These sections have been indicated at 19 and 20. The first section conveniently presents a surface of major area to receive the desired indicia. The section 20 may have a comparatively small area and within the latter, the openings 14 and 16 are formed. A line of fold 21 preferably defines the boundary between sections 19 and 20 and the material of the label should embody sufficient rigidity so that its sections remain angularly disposed. Under these circumstances, and especially as shown in Fig. 6, sections 19 and 20 may extend adjacent one face of the sleeve. If thus disposed, then clue to the relative angular disposition of the sections and the resiliency inherent to the label, the free edge of section 19 will bear against the surface of the garment portion 10 and force the outer face of section 20 into intimate contact with the underfaces of the buttons or other elements 11. Therefore, the label will even be maintained to an even greater extent against accidental displacement.

As in Fig. 7, the label in addition to the opening 16, slot 17 and entrance portion 18, may include duplicates of these parts. Such duplicates will be in lieu of opening 14 and tongue 15. As shown, they will include an opening 16 from which a slot 17' terminating in an entrance portion 18 extends. Slots 17 and 17' preferably terminate inopposite edge portions of the label In applying this unit and after disposing one button over the area of opening 16, the label bodymay be flexed to bring the opposite entrance portion 18' to underlie an adjacent button or element. Thereupon, with the card flexing back to its normal position, the label will be secured against detachment.

Thus, among others, the several objects ofthe invention as specifically aforenoted are achieved. Obviously numerous changes in construction and rearrangement of the parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the claim.

I claim:

A flexible label adapted to'be secured to a garment by a pair of buttons in spaced relation on said garment, comprising a body portion formed with a pair of openings smaller in area than said buttons, said openings being spaced apart a distance equal to the spacing of said buttons, said body portion further defining a slot extending from one edge thereof, to one of said openings 4 1 whereby said label is slidably introducible by lateral movement below said one button, the second of said openings being provided with a slit extending from each side of said second opening and each slit terminating short of the edges of said body portion to form a tongue portion extending from said second opening, said tongue portion being bendable out of the plane of the body portion to enlarge the area of said second opening for the passage of the second button therethrough, the body portion being pressed down over said second button to secure said label to the garment below said first and second buttons in face to face relation.

References Cited in the file of this'patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Aug. 20, 

